Time indicator



Aug. 1, 1933. c BUTTS 1,920,838

TIME INDICATOR Filed Oct. 26, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 9072 arc? ajatts Aug. 1, 1933. Q -r 1,920,838

TIME INDICATOR Filed Oct. 26, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 4,9 750 J1. J2 M 9 73 2 J5 77 82 as I 92 78 35 ,Z J: 80 9.? 83 1 [ll j 7 1/ /r I k 84 L INVENTOR w Jcoaard G 3W6 ATTORNEY Aug. 1, c BUTTS TIME INDICATOR Filed 001;. 26, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR .Zeonard CZ Za a/r19 Patented as. 1, 193s UNITED. STATES 1,920,838 TIME INDICATOR Leonardll liutts, Spokane, Wash, Application October 26, 1931. Serial No. 571,126

. The object of this invention is to provide a novel type of distance time indicator whereby the time ofday or nightcan be seen at a long distance. I

A featureof the invention consists in a clock dial and minute and hour hands of large or gigantic proportions adapted to be mounted in an upright position at a high elevation or against the side of a hill or mountain, in combination with mechanism adapted to be set in operation by a master clock for causing advancement of the hands to indicate correct time of day or night.

Thus the main portion of the structure of this invention is not in itself a clock or time keeping device but rather :a structure that is controlled and actuated by a time keeping device.

A feature of the-invention consists, in the combination claimed, of minute and hour hands operatively connected to control their relative advancing movement in clock-like or time indicating relationby means which preferably consists in a dial train of gears, so that movement of one of said handswill cause a corresponding relative and rotating with the inner or central portion of the structure and extending outwardly alongone or the hands for imparting drive to the outward- .ly disposed means for advancing such hand,

The invention also comprises a combined lock-'- ing and advancing ringv abreast of which the outer end of one hand moves, in combin'a'tion' with means engaging said ring for periodically advancing said hand, together with means for periodically locking said hand in its advanced posi-,

tion then releasing the hand for further advancing movement. I

The invention has many other features and objects which will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings and which will more fully described and pointed out by the appended claims.

In the drawings: Fig. l is aface View of the device of my inven-' tion with the latter in an upright position. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, with the parts shown on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is a sectional View on line 3-3 of Fig.3. Fig. 4 is a sectiona view on line i- 2 of Fig.1.. 2 Fig. 5 is a sectionalview on line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the electric wiring employed in the device of my-invention.

Claims. (01. 58-26) Like characters of reference'design'ate similar parts throughout the different figures 0f the drawings. a

The structurefo'f my invention includes a clock dial formed of numerals 1 to 12 as indicated at 1, which numerals may be suitably mounted on a frame work 2, adapted to' be supported in any desired manner, dependent upon whetherthe structure is mounted on top of a building or on sired manner and disposed horizontally, in the abreast of the dial are minute and present construction, whereby said arbor. will rotate about a horizontal axis. A sleeve'8, rigid ly mounted on said arbor, has a flange head 9, to which a centrally enlarged portion 10, of hand "3, is rigidly mounted,.asby means of bolts 11.

Said minute hand-'3, has a'stem portion 12, extending to the right of arbor 5, viewing Fig, 1,

on which an adjustable counter-weight 13, is

mounted. This counter-weight not only balances the larger end of said hand3, but also the mesh anism carried thereby, as will later appear.

Loosely mounted on said arbor 5, between collars 14 and 15 which are fixed to said arbor, is a dial sleeve 16 having a head flange 17, to which the inner end of the hour hand 4, is suitably bolted as indicated at 18. Fixed on sleevelfi is one gear member of 'a dial train indicated at 19. A counter-shaft 20, mounted in bearings 21 and, 22, has fixed thereto a dial pinion 23, which meshes with dialgear 19,- and also a dial gear 24, is mounted on shaft '20 and meshes with dial pinion 25, which latter is fixed on arbor 5.. It will, thus be seen that rotary motion istransmitted from pinion 25 to gear .24, and from the latter to pinion23 back to gear 19, whereby the'hour hand 4 will'move or advance from one'dial numeral 1, to another, every time the minute hand Ul v 3 advances a complete revolution abreast of the dial. It willthereby be seen that this dial train of the hands 3' and 4, and that any advance on stopping'by onehand will cause a relative advance or stoppage of the other. 1

will control the relative advancing movement but which is specifically disposed on the arbor 5,- is a hub 26, provided with a shelf 2'7, the purpose of which will later appear.

A sleeve 28,. which may be of insulating material, is secured to arbor 5, and carries contact rings 29 to 32, with which brushes 33 to 36, re'

spectively, contact, the purpose of which will later appear, and all of which is clearly shown in Fig.- 4. I 1

Reference will nextbe made to Figs. 1,2 and 3, for description of a feature of the invention.

whereby one of the hands is advanced, periodically and periodically locked and then released for further advancement.

- inner periphery is provided with a series of spaced lockingnotches 39, sixty in number and located in the relation shown with respect toithe time ordinals 1; A platform 10, is pendently supported by brackets 41 and 42 from the lower outer face of minute hand 3, as shown in Fig; 3. Retaining discs'43 and 44 are mountedon spindles 45 and 46 that are rotatively journalled in bear: ings 4'7 and 48 which are mounted on a raised front 49, of said platform elLand said discs roll on the upper face of ring 3'7 and retain the outer end of hand 3 in the relation shown in Fig. 3, to said ring. Companion lower retaining discs 50, only onebeing shown, engage the lower face of said ring 3'7 and retain thepouter end of hand 3 against being elevated from the Fig. 3 position, with ,respect to. said ring 3'7. mounted on spindle--51 that is rotatively jOUT', nalledin bearing 52, mounted on thelower face of said platform-section 49. 1

A propulsive means is shown for engaging ring 3'7, toIadvance the hand 3; and I preferably provide [a pinion'53 which meshes with rack teeth 38. Said pinion 53 is supportingly journalled in a bearing 54-, mounted on a bracket 55, that is anchored to section 19 of said platform. A shaft 55 is connected with pinion 53, by any suitable friction clutch 56, of well known type, that will Reference will next be made to the mechanism for locking the minute hand duringperiods intervening its advancing travel; l

, Alock block 62 is mountedon an arm 63 that is pivoted at-64 to hand 3. Aspiring 64, having one endconnected to hand 3 and the other end connected with arm 63, normally urges block 62 toward the inner periphery of ring 3'7 and if desired, said block 62 may ride against said ring between notches 39 so as to be ready-toenter one of them when they are in registry with block 62, as the latter advances, it being under. stood that advancing movement of hand 3 is relatively slow. Arm 63 is connected by a link. 65, with releasing arm.66, which is pivoted at 6'7, to hand 3. A releasing wheel 68,,which is a'gear of a train, is ,iournalled-at ,69, on platform 40 and has a releasing stud 7i) which is adapted to engage the lower free end of arm 66' and shift it to the right ,of Fig. 3, owing to the clockwise pulley '78.

Said disc 50 is direction of rotation of wheel 68, and hence the block 62 will be withdrawn from a notch 39, and

after stud, 70 has released arm 66, by passing thereunder, spring 64 will return block 62 toward I ring 37. Wheel 63 meshes with a pinion '71 fixed on gear '72 which are journalled at 73, on platform 40. Wheel '72, meshes with pinion '74 that is mounted on the shaft of a releasing motor '75, mounted on a; bracket '76, on platform 10.

The releasing motor '75 is electrically energized to cause the releasing operation to be performed,

in a manner that will later be described in conother member is indicated at 82 and hasa sleeve 33 that is slidable and rotatable on a sleeve 34 of On sleeve 84, is a small pulley 35 which maybe belted at 86to a larger pulley 8'7, iournalled in bearings 88, which are mounted on shelf 2'7.

pivoted, as, indicated at 91. said arms. have weights .92 and the inner ends 93 bear against. the outer end of sleeve 83 so that when the arms 96 spread by centrifugal action on rotation of pulley Y3, the ends 93 will force clutch member 82 into engagement with pulley '78 so that power transmission will be imparted to DUI-.- leys 85 and 8'7, and when the arms 99 are not under centrifugal force, the engagement of member' 82 with member '73 will be released. Springs may be provided, if desir'edto normally urge arms Sleeve 84 has pairsof lugs 89 in which the'elbows of bell crank governor arms 96, are

The outer ends of "Pulley '78 is one member'of a friction clutch and the 90. into a contracted position but this would be mere mechanical skill in View of this disclosure. The flexible shaft'61, extends from gear 59, lengthwise of hand 3, down the hollow arbor 5,

and emerges from the opposite end and then extends back to pulley 87, to which it is connected indriven relation. it will now be clear that I have provided a reducing train from propulsive motor 7 6, to pulley 8'7, and the manner in which propulsive drive is transmitted from the axis of rotation of hand 3, to the outer end thereof will now be clear.

A bearing ring, fixedly mounted, is indicated at 94,"Figs. land 4, and theouter. end of the hour hand is provided with a bracket 95, in which retaining discs 96 and 9'7 are, rotatively' mounted,

and said discs engage opposite faces of said ring to retain the outerend of the hour hand in a given plane of rotation.

Reference will'next be made to the diagrammatic View in Fig. 6.

' A master clock, which may-be of any suitable type, is indicated at 98 and will be usually disposed at a distance from the time indicator and I have shown a con.--

al -J rmogsse disc 101. andlwith. brush 36. A source of current is indicated at 106 and. one side is connectedby wire 107 with brush 34, and the other side or pole is connected by wire 108 withbruslr 33.

It will be understood that the wiring about to be described will extend through. arbor 5, and the latter is shown in Fig. 6, to make the diagramclear. In. practice, the wiring would. extend along hand 3, but it is not thought necessary to show this in addition to the showing made in Fig.6.- Further', the wires extending internally of arbor: 5,. and which are electrically connected with con-- tact rings 29 to 32, will. in practice have brus-hy contact therewith, as will be understood by those skilled in the electrical art, but this need"v not be' shown in addition to the diagram. about to be described.

Lead 109 extends from ring- 29 to one pole 110' of propulsive motor '76. From the other pole 111, a lead 112 iselectrioally connected with arm 63 at bracket 84'. A lead 113 connects with ring 30, and. with a terminal 114, through which arm 63' is adapted to close circuit, as shown. A lead115', is connected with lead 109, in advance of motor '76, at 116 and also with bracket 67, of arm 66.

'A conductor 117, is connected at 118with lead 113 and. with. pole 119 of releasing motor '75. The remaining pole 120, of said motor is connected with conductor 121 which is connected at its remaining end with ring 32. A lead 122 is connected with ring 31,. at one end and at its remaining end is connected at 123 with wire 109 in. advance of propulsive motor 76. The wheel 68 of the releasing train is connected by a wire 124which is connected with wire 121 from pole 120, of releasing motor '75. It will be understoodthat the source of current 106 is at all times in full brush connection with rings 29 and 30.

The operation of the device will 'nowbe described in detail.

Assuming that hand 3 1s locked with'block 62 in engagement with a notch 39 of ring 3'7, as shown in Fig. 3, and. that the master clock 98 is as shownin Fig. 6, the segment 102 will rotate clockwise, each revolution being a minute, until. it engages terminal bar 103. Then the circuit will be closed and current will flow through wires 104 and 105 through brushes 35 and 36, respectively, to rings 31 and 32, respectively. Current will then. flow from ring. 31 through wire 122 to wire 109 and through wire 115 to bracket 6'7 of arm 66, as stud '70 is not yet in a position to engage arm 66 and close circuit therethrough.

The path. of current from ring 32' will be through wire 121 to pole and through motor '75 and. pole 119 to wire 11'] which connects with wire 113, the latter beingv connected with. ring. 30. Now the duration of contact of 102 and 103, at the master clock, is relatively short or'limitc'd but always sufficient to energize releasing motor '75 and cause it to run long enough to bringistudi '70'into contact with arm 66. When this is accomplished, then circuit will be closed. and 'cur-- rent will pass from wire 124 back to pole 1.20 of motor '75 after segment 102 has passedout of. circuit closing-contact with terminal 163. Thus, after the circuit has been closed by stud '70 en,- gaging arm 66, motor '75 will operate thereleasing train long enough to withdraw block 62 from -notch 39 as it will be understood that stud '70 will have to engage arm 66 until it retracts the latter to the right of Fig. 6, and passes free from the lower free end of said arm, after which the I will: now describe the path of: the current when.

stud '10 closes. circuit through. wheel. 68. This! path will bethrough: ring31. and: wire" 122 to It' will now be clear that before the releasingtrain'. has released or withdrawn block 62/irom.

notclr393arm 63jwilll have been out of. engagement with terminal 114; hence, the propulsive motor '76 would not start running. to? advance hand. 3; However, in timed relation, thewithdrawal of block 62, by shifting. ofarm 66 to the right of Fig. 6,

would also shift arm 63 to the right and thereby engage it with ternunal: r14.

It will be understood that a suitable time isallowedfor contact of stud '70 with arm: 66 after block 62 has been withdrawn, to maintain engagement of arm 63- with 7 terminal 114 long enough to cause motor '76 to run for such a duration as to move hand 3 from one notch 39 to an other, andfor' this purpose, terminal 114 maybe of a yielding nature and block 62- will be moved further than would be necessary for actual withdrawal from. notch 39 as engagement of stud '70" with arm. 66 will continue to cause motor 75 to run. However, the timed relation can better be controlled by providing arm 66 with a lower. in-

sulated portion. 66' sothat after block 62 hasbeen" withdrawn from notch 39 theolrcuit will .be opened as soonas stud '70, passes oft the conducting portion and onto the insulating portion 66,

thereby arresting motor '75, but serving to hold arm 63' in engagement with terminal 11.4, tosufliciently advance hand 3.

I- will nowtrace the path of current when the circuit is closed by arm 63 engaging terminal 114'. Y

The flow will be" from ring. 30 through wire 1 13 to terminal 114. and. back through arm 63 to wire 112 and to pole 111 of propulsive motor '76, and

through pole 110 thereof to wire 109 andback" k toring 29'.

Just as soon as a notch 39 has been reached, the stud '70 will have released arm 66' and spring 64 will. return the arms 63 and 66 to the posi .tion'shown' in Fig. 3 and the block 62 will enter another notch. towhich the hand 3' has been adso that when even the slowly moving hand 3 is 1,

halted, the drive willnot'be disrupted.

Further, it is important to give the propulsive motor a chance to gain speed before a full load is imposed and it will be clear that before motor '76 starts, the governor arms 90 (Fig. '7') will be in a contracted. position and clutch member 82 will be loosely engaged with member '78 and this will allow the propulsive motor freedom to start. However, just as soonas. motor '76 gets started,- the governor arms 90 will spread and force clutch member 82 into engagement with member '78 and this will transmit drive to gear 53. This clutch has another function in that when the block 62 is shifted into a notch the hand 3 is suddenly arrested at which time the propulsive motor '76 is cut out of circuit. However, momentum of the be limited thereto except for such revolving parts would cause a slight further rotation of motor 76 and its reducing train at a suddenly slower speed and hence the governor arms would contract and release the clutch member 82 from member 78 so that the motor '76 could gradually cease rotation.

It will be seen that if the clutch 56 is used, in addltion'to the clutch shown in-Fig. '7, that a double precaution is provided against suddenly stopping motor 76, and hence, in some embodiments, the clutch 56 can be dispensed with, more especially when the driving means engaging the ring 37 is tractive instead of the positive type herein shown. Further, it will be noted that I will preferably rely upon automatic engagement of block 62 with the notches 39, with the block riding on the inner periphery of ring 37, between the notches and therefore engagement of said block 62 with the notches will be the con-v trolling factor. In view of slippage of the clutches, which is desirable, I will arrange such excess of movement of the releasing train over what would be essential in the absenceof said clutches so as to at all times insure sufiicient advancing movement of hand 3 to make sure that the block 62 will reach the next notch.

It will now be clearthat motor '75, which causes withdrawal of block 62, functions in this particular embodiment, in slightly overlapping relation to motor 76, which causes advancing movement of the minute hand 3, but in substance, and in actual functioning, the said motors operate alternately with respect to each other.

While the counter-weight with which hand 3 is provided, greatly reduces the stress on the propulsive mechanism and is highly advantageous for that reason, still, it is not in all respects absolutely essential, more especially where the means for advancing hand 3, is the positive type herein shown. Y

The feature whereby the minute hand 3, and thereby the hour hand l, are both locked and positively held in the position to which they have been advanced and throughout the period between their advance, is highly important in cases where these hands are of gigantic proportions since it enables the hands to correctly indicate the time of day or night irrespective of any slack that might develop, this being especially true of the minute hand 3, and also of the hour hand where the dial train has no slack.

As the power to advance the minute hand-is applied at the outer end thereof, or in other words at the free end thereof, said hand is not put to any abnormal stress such as would be true if it were revolved by means applied near the center of rotation. 1

It is believed that the invention will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and while I have herein shown and described one specific form of this invention,I do not wish to limitations as the claims may import. g

I claim:-'

1. A distance time indicator comprising, a clock dial, a hollow rotatable arbor, minute and hour hands rotatable about the axis of said arbor, a dial train controlling relative movement of said hands,

a driving electric motor carried bysaid arbor, a.

releasing electric motor carried by said minute hand, a locking ring near said dial having rack teeth. and locking notches, a propulsive gear meshing with said rack teeth and operated by said driving motor for advancing said minute hand intermittently, a locking block normally urged to engage said notches to lock said minute hand between intermittent advancement of the latter, a source of current, a master clock having a circuit closer, and an electric circuit including said master clock and source of current and said driving and releasing motors for causing alternate operation of the latter to advance and release said minute hand.

2. A distance time indicator comprising, a clock dial, a rotatable arbor, a minute hand fixed on sail arbor, a dial train partly mounted on said arbor and driven thereby, an hour hand driven .by said dial train, a rack and holding ring near" said dial, a propulsive motor carried by said arbor and having means carried by said minute hand and engaging said ring to advance said minute hand and arbor and through said dial train advance said hour hand, and a releasing motor carried by said minute hand and having means coacting with saidv ring to lock and release said minute hand.

3. A distance time indicator comprising, .a clock dial, a rotatable arbor, a minute hand fixed on said arbor, a dial train driven by said arbor, an hour hand driven by said dial train, a propulsive and locking ring nearsaid dial, a propulsive motor operatively connected with said minute hand and ring to advance said minute hand and arbor and through said dial train ad- Vance said hour hand, and a releasing motor operatively connected with said minute hand and ring for releasing said minute hand for advance movement.

4. A distance time indicator comprising, a clock dial, a rotatable arbor, a minute hand fixed on said arbor, a dial train driven by said arbor, an hour hand driven by said dial train, a propulsive and locking ring near said dial, a propulsive motor operatively connected with said minute hand and ring to advance said minute hand and arbor and through said dial train 1 advance said hour hand, locking means normally acting to lock said minute hand in its advanced position, a releasing motor actuating said locking means for releasing said minute hand to permit advance thereof, and mechanism for causing timed alternate action of said propulsive and releasing motors.

5. In a distance time indicator,.a clock dial, minute and hour hands movable abreast of said dial, an electric circuit including a source of cur rent, an electric propulsive motor in said circuit for advancing said hands, a releasing electric motor in said circuit for releasing said hands to permit the latter to be advanced, a master clock in said circuit for timed closing and opening of said'circuit, and means in said circuit for causing alternate operation of said releasing and propulsive motors to release and'advance said hands when said circuit is closed.

LEONARD C. BUTTS. 

